Communal riots increasing during NDA-2 regime! MHA report deflates Congress' claims

Deflating Congress' claim that incidents of communal violence have increased ever since BJP-led NDA came into power, a report by Ministry of Home Affairs said the incidents related to communal clashes have gone down to an average of 56.5 as compared to period of May-June last year.

Recently, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said that incidents related to communal violence are increasing ever since Modi Government took over the charge.

A Time of India report citing Home Ministry data shows that during May-June 2014 the incidents per month fell to an average of 56.5 from 68.6 in 2013. The report also said that average number of deaths and injured in communal clashes has also come down to 7.5 and 159 respectively during the period of May-June this year as compared to 11 and 189 last year. The average number of deaths and injured were 7.8 and 176.4 respectively in 2012.

133 persons lost their lives and 2,269 injured in 823 incidents of communal clashes in 2013, while the number of deaths were 94 and those injured were 2,117 in total of 668 clashes in 2012.

Is it fair to blame Centre for communal riots in States?

Maintaining law and order is a subject under State list. Under such situation, it would not be fair to blame the Centre for communal violence in different States. The role of the Centre is only confined to issuing advisories, seeking reports and providing Central forces to help State police in time of crisis.

For instance, Uttar Pradesh has witnessed at least 24 riots since May 16. Eight people have been killed and more than 250 injured in these clashes. The reasons for half of these riots were petty issues like use of loudspeakers at religious places among others and it was duty of the State Government to address the situation on which it has failed.

Maintaining law and order is a subject under State list

Undoubtedly, the lackadaisical attitude of the Samajwadi Party-led State Government is responsible in preventing these communal violence and not the Central Government. Ever since the Akhilesh Government came to power, there has been spurt of communal clashes in the State thanks to failed administration. As per the data, the State on an average witnessed 20.6 communal incidents in 2013.

Congress' drama over alleged spurt in communal clashes

The Congress on Wednesday demanded a debate on communal violence, alleging the number of clashes have increased ever since the Modi Government has come to power.

Even when the ruling BJP said that it is ready for debate on the issue, the Congress leaders led by Rahul Gandhi created ruckus in the Parliament. Rahul backed by other Opposition leaders went to well of the House and raised slogans seeking introduction of the Bill on communal violence.

Where was Rahul when UP was burning during the UPA days?

Right now, Rahul Gandhi might be showing concern over communal clashes but when the Congress-led UPA was in power, he did nothing to tackle the Muzaffarnagar riots in Uttar Pradesh.
The Congress did not even say anything to the Samajwadi Party or Trinamool Congress Governments which failed to tackle communal clashes in their respective States.

If we go by data from the Union Home Ministry, the year, 2013, saw communal rioting incidents in the country jumping by nearly 25 per cent. According to the data, States such as UP, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Bihar witnessed a steady rise in communal violence during the rule of UPA-2. So, before blaming BJP led NDA for increase in communal riots, the Congress should have a look at its record.